Uruguayan Bean Salad

South American cuisine is a bit of a mystery to me. Aside from knowing they eat a lot of steak in Argentina, and having sampled cocktails like the pisco sour or caipirinha, I know almost nothing about a "typical" cuisine from many South American countries. When I spotted this salad, it jumped out at me because I had a couple cans of fava beans at home, and the simplicity of it sounded perfect for capping off a busy day.  If you don't have fava beans, try it with kidney or pinto beans.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rinsed and drained canned fava beans
• 1 cup seeded and chopped tomato
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, tossing gently.

I served with cornbread (made from a mix, easy peasy) and Gardein's beefless strips.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (2/3 cup), Calories 167

Tasting Notes:
The oregano and parsley pair so wonderfully together, making me think you could make this more like a tabbouleh, with loads more fresh parsley, and the fava beans would take the place of the bulgur. Fava beans have a great meaty texture, and so this salad is a nice showcase for them. Aside from the raw onion, which I wasn't wild about, I'd leave everything else the same.

Rating:
3.5